Fifth Time's The Charm
by Noble Voyager
Summary: They say, "Two time's the charm." But who says you can't have it five times? GrayLu.
1. Cold Hands, Warm Heart

**Title:** Fifth Time's The Charm (1/5: Cold Hands, Warm Heart)  
**Author:** Noble Voyager  
**Rating/Warnings:** T  
**Characters:** Gray Fullbuster, Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Juvia Loxar, Mirajane Strauss  
**Setting:** Sometime after Episode 50  
**Summary:** They say, "two time's the charm". But who says you can't have it five times?  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on the anime/manga created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Notes: **If you've read "Blush" or "Unsettling Realization" before, you're probably going to be familiar with this story. Actually, it's just the same story - only with better grammar and wording. I wrote this story almost 3 years ago. I took down "Blush" or "Unsettling Realization" because it was just filled with so many errors that were accompanied by my childish attitude before. But I decided to post it again so that I can salvage every story that I write, no matter how horribly written it is. This is just something that I want to look back to. I'm just glad my writing now is a lot better than before. So, here it is. It's basically the same story as that of the story, "Blush/Unsettling Realization". That is, if you've read it already. But if you want to read this again, do so. I just decided to permanently change the title because it suits the story better.

* * *

"Take some of this, you droopy-eyed icy-minty fresh bastard!" Natsu shouted as he pointed to a certain black-haired ice mage, preparing to attack him.

"Not until I get you first, you squinty-eyed fire spewer!" Gray firmly retorted. The guild was falling into an uproar once again, thanks to these two brotherly rivals. They were both arguing which mission to take today since Natsu liked this one while Gray liked the other.

"I can handle this mission all by myself! I don't need your freakin' help," the stubborn Natsu said, getting more serious than ever.

"I don't care. For this nonsensical fight to end, let's not take a mission anymore," Gray finally came to a sudden conclusion.

"This just proves how weak you are! Hahaha! Weak, weak, WEAK!" the pink-haired fire mage burst into a loud guffaw as he tried to ridicule his icy counterpart. And thus, the ice that had long since held the cool and collected demeanor of the laid-back ice mage has finally melted into fury. The fight between these two whippersnappers just keeps getting crazier and crazier by the moment while the rest of the guild members just sat back as if nothing is happening.

"Gosh, where is Erza when you need her?!" the blonde-haired stellar mage sat down near the counter where Mirajane is, completely frustrated. She couldn't forget that night when she thought that Natsu was going to confess to her. It was a misunderstanding, after all. I mean, come on. Why was she even fantasizing and dressing up beautifully, only to find out that Natsu called her just to help dig out Virgo? She thought of it this way since she hasn't actually dated anyone yet.

"What's wrong, Lucy? You look completely frustrated," Mirajane asked with a kind voice. She always had that kind of motherly personality – someone who was always ready to reach out to her guild mates whenever she notices that something's bothering them.

Lucy gave out a rather scornful smile. "Oh, it's been a long story. You don't want to know." She heard something crash on a table and turned to see her teammates stepping up their game without minding the wounds and injuries that were already being formed on their muscular bodies. They really recover fast, don't they? "Those two are just plain immature. They never learn how to get along. Why can't Erza do something to stop them? I bet she could instantly shut them up without even batting an eyelash."

"Erza's not here. She left for a mission right now and will come back sometime tomorrow," Mirajane said as she wiped one of the dishes, "why don't _you _stop them? I mean, they kind of respect you, and you get along with them pretty well."

"Me? No way! They wouldn't even listen to me, anyway." Lucy put her head down on the table and sighed in frustration.

Mirajane smiled and thought about that great friendship Lucy has with her teammates. Even though she constantly denies it and sometimes gets mad at them, she still knows that she cares for them deeply. "Did I mention you and Natsu-"

"WAAAHHHH! La-la-la! Don't mention his name around me! I know what you're going to say! La-la-la-la-la!" You could probably call this Lucy's knee-jerk reaction.

Amazed at how fun it is being with Lucy, Mirajane just laughed. "I was just going to say that you and Natsu get along very well."

Lucy felt relieved but was also quite embarrassed. "Oh, well, I knew that…"

"I've always been wondering. Do you think Gray has some sort of _feelings _for you?" And Lucy's eyes widened in bewilderment. She never expected something as sudden as that to come out of Mirajane's mouth, especially someone like _her._

"What?! No! Gray and I are just good friends." She turned her attention to where the commotion between the two mages is and heard someone screaming, _GRAY! YOUR CLOTHES! _And there he is, never ceasing to be confident with his stripping habits. Disgusted, Lucy turned her attention back to Mirajane. "Nothing is ever going to happen between me and Gray. _Ever._"

"Really? I've always thought that you two would look good together. Besides, ever since you first joined the guild, he looked quite interested in you. Juvia even thought that you two were a couple!"

"Well, her thought of me as a _rival _for Gray's affection is wrong because there's nothing between us. We are just friends. Nothing is going to break our platonic relationship."

"Whatever you say, Lucy," Mirajane continued to hand over the corresponding orders to the guild members.

"Well, I better get going. Since my team will not even take a mission today, I'll just go home early. See you tomorrow, Mira-chan," Lucy stood up as she wore her orange jacket.

The fight between the dragon slayer and ice mage still kept on going. These two really are immature than they appear. Picking up fights over simple things is pretty much what little boys would do. Then Natsu punched Gray so hard, it had the black-haired ice mage flying towards a certain direction, which had him fall on the ground afterwards. Luckily, Gray landed on something soft that cushioned his fall. As he opened his eyes, he saw the amber eyes of a certain blonde-haired stellar mage staring at him. It was Lucy.

He immediately stoop up, leaning his hand to her, "I'm very sorry, Lucy! Are you all right?"

Lucy grabbed his hand, "Yes, I'm all right. Thanks." Gray put his arms around her and is concerned that he might hurt her too badly. Lucy could feel the cold sensation of Gray's hands but she always thought of him as a gentleman.

The attention of all the guild members turned to where Gray and Lucy are. They were quite shocked and flustered at the same time, seeing them like that. "Aww, what a lovely couple!" somebody shouted from behind them.

Lucy could feel her face turning to a bright crimson color and immediately turned away from Gray. "Ugghh, love rival! You will pay!" Juvia shouted as she pointed to Lucy. And this was the first time Gray made Lucy blush.

Lucy ran off and headed out of the guild. She could still feel herself blushing. Thoughts of what Mirajane said about her and Gray kept ringing insider her head. She doesn't want to experience the same thing that happened to her and Natsu. But this was different – more different than she imagined or expected this to be. She couldn't stop blushing profusely.

She finally reached her home and felt quite relieved. Before she even got in, she was pondering over what just happened. "Mira-chan is wrong. Gray and I are just friends. Nothing more," she thought and finally stepped towards her apartment. She just wished she could banish the last lingering thought of Gray inside her head. If only she could…


	2. Accidental Embrace

**Title:** Fifth Time's The Charm (2/5: Accidental Embrace)  
**Author:** Noble Voyager  
**Rating/Warnings:** T  
**Characters:** Lucy Heartfilia, Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Juvia Loxar, Gray Fullbuster  
**Setting:** Sometime after Episode 50  
**Summary:** They say, "two time's the charm". But who says you can't have it five times?  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on the anime/manga created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended.**  
**

* * *

Lucy awoke to the bright sunshine that illuminated her room. She eagerly wished that the so-called "incident" that happened yesterday would have been just a dream. But some wishes are just never meant to happen. She couldn't stop thinking about it, so she got up from bed and took a shower to cool her down.

After she ate her breakfast along with her cute little companion, Plue, she got herself dressed up to her usual white and blue outfit and prepared to head to the guild. It's a good thing none of her teammates busted in her house just like they always do.

"Hey miss! Be careful there! You might fall!" one of the sailors shouted as Lucy balanced by the river.

"Okay! I will!" Lucy replied back and then sighed. If ever Gray had feelings for her, she still doesn't want to break their friendship. They have been really good friends, and she couldn't believe that it had to come to this. She pondered over that thought throughout her travel and after several minutes, she finally stood in front of the guild entrance.

She made her way to the entrance and hopefully, the guild will not fall into chaos again. As she stepped towards the door, she was awaiting a series of flying punches and kicks to greet her this early in the morning. Lo and behold, everything is just normal. No noise, no fights, and no chaos. She never expected the guild to be so mundane and calm all of a sudden. Lucy could feel herself overflowing with relief.

"Hey, Lucy!" the scarlet-haired Titania greeted as she waved to the stellar mage.

"Hey, Erza," Lucy replied, "how was the mission you took yesterday?"

"Easy, very easy. I don't even know why the Master assigned me such an easy mission." What can you expect from Fairy Tail's strongest female wizard? She is definitely the Titania who never holds back during battle. "How were Natsu and Gray while I was gone?"

Gray. How couldn't that name possibly escape from the chambers of her thoughts? She doesn't want to be reminded of the incident that happened the other day anymore. She turned her attention to where Natsu is and saw the dragon slayer looking exhausted. He must have been tired from the trivial and nonsensical fight he had with Gray yesterday. "Well, the usual... they are such a pain in the neck!"

The corners of Erza's mouth turned up to what seemed like a miniscule smile. "I sure hope you were able to shut them up."

"Oh... I sure did..." Lucy gave out another scornful smile. She remembered that moment when she was able to stop Gray from continuing the fight somehow. "Lucy! My rival! You will pay for doing that to Gray-sama!" Juvia shouted, even though she was quite near to where Lucy was. Without even making another eye-contact with her, Juvia eventually walked away, as though nothing had happened.

"Uggghhh! Juvia calling me a love rival for Gray is starting to get more and more annoying!" Lucy said as she put down her head on the table.

"What happened to you and Gray?" Erza prompted inquisitively with her unmistakable curious look.

"Well... you see... Natsu punched Gray so hard that it had him flying and falling to the ground. Then unfortunately, he landed on me. He tried to help me but everyone was like, '_Awww! What a lovely couple!' _and something like that. Aggghh! I wish that never happened!" Lucy is starting to pound her fist on the table with such an annoyed facade.

"Whoa, calm down. It's not that bad, is it?"

"Yes, it is! It's _completely _bad!"

"Why?" Erza asked, getting even more curious.

Lucy's eyes widened. Should she tell her what Mirajane said about them? Well, she could trust Erza, anyway. "Well... the thing is... Mirajane was talking to me about my relationship with Gray and that we look... you know... good together," Lucy said in disgust.

"Oh? So, that's why. To be honest, I personally think that you two should go out."

"What?! Even you?! That was so sudden! What is it with people's minds nowadays?!"

Erza just laughed. She really enjoyed being with the sanguine and optimistic Lucy. "I mean, come on. You two have a lot in common."

"Yeah, whatever. But no matter what you say, nothing is going to happen between me and Gray."

"He's a great guy once you get to know him." Lucy didn't mind what Erza just said because she is already flooded with a rather overwhelming annoyance. But as she stood up, she noticed a fuming Juvia preparing to attack her. The deeply in love water mage is getting really serious now. Well, that's probably an understatement. She's already going _overboard._

"WAAHHH! Juvia, what are you doing?!" Lucy shouted as Juvia is attempting to attack her with her water magic.

"Lucy! You are my one and only rival for Gray-sama's love! He doesn't need someone like you! His heart belongs to me!" Juvia shouted. She was already flooded with rage.

"I never even liked him before! You can have him, anyway!" Lucy replied as she ran for her life. Luckily, Erza was able to stop Juvia instantly by giving her a death glare. No one should ever mess with the Titania's comrade.

Meanwhile, Lucy didn't know that Juvia was already overwhelmed, so she turned her bead back to see that she is already safe. But as she kept running, she accidentally tripped on something made her fall to the ground. As she made her fall, she felt someone caught her and she accidentally gave that someone a hard embrace. As she looked up, she could feel herself blushing profusely again. It was Gray.

Lucy pulled back, blushing as hard as ever, "We keep meeting like this. I'm sorry."

Gray gave her back a slight smirk. "You know, if you wanted a hug, you could just tell it to me straight."

Lucy's eyes widened with embarrassment and gave the ice mage a slap in the face. She ran off to the counter and hid herself.

"Ouch! Was there something I said?" Gray said as he rubbed his slap-stained cheek.

Lucy could feel herself recovering. She now stood up and walked to Gray. "I'm sorry again. I just had a bad day today."

"It's okay. I'm glad to see you today, Lucy."

The blonde-haired stellar mage was once again shocked to hear something like that coming out of Gray's mouth. Why was he glad to see her? She doesn't even want to delve deeply into such trivial thoughts anymore. To cool herself down, she sat alone on a chair as she tries to forget what just happened. She probably won't need anyone's futile attempts of consolation... for now.


	3. Overheard Conversations

**Title:** Fifth Time's The Charm (3/5: Overheard Conversations)  
**Author:** Noble Voyager  
**Rating/Warnings:** T  
**Characters:** Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia, Mirajane Strauss  
**Setting:** Sometime after Episode 50  
**Summary:** They say, "two time's the charm". But who says you can't have it five times?  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on the anime/manga created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Notes: **I would like to apologize if any of the characters are kind of OOC... or _completely _OOC. I hope you don't mind. That's all. The next chapter will be updated shortly. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

Lucy sat alone in a corner, completely frustrated and embarrassed. With her head down on a table, she pondered over what had just happened once again. She did not mind those noisy little murmurs saying things like, _What's wrong with Lucy? She's been acting really strange lately. _She couldn't care less. Because of this weird and awkward day, she doesn't even want anyone to go near her. But little did she know that there was an interesting conversation going on between most of her guild mates. This was quite a shocker.

"Hey, I just realized that Gray is in love with someone," one of the mages close to Lucy's table said, "although he has been quiet about it and doesn't want to tell who she is."

"Well, you know the kind of person Gray is. He's not very open about his feelings or whatsoever."

"I wonder about that. He told me that ever since he met her, he's been crazy about her... whoever she is."

That last reply of her guild mate just caught her attention, making her eyes grow wider than ever. "Could it be that they're talking about me?" Lucy could feel herself shivering as she thought about that. Gray has been showing a few subtle hints lately but those were only observations. What more if he could just saw how he feels straight? That way, she wouldn't even feel butterflies in her stomachs in the first place.

Lucy stood up and got away from that conversation as abruptly as possible. Those are just plain nonsense and rumors. As she walks to the counter, she noticed the ice mage sitting there alone, talking to Mirajane. She doesn't want to embarrass herself once again, so she lumbered her way to the table where Levy is. But before she could even get there, another conversation has caught Lucy's ears. So, she hid herself somewhere near the counter and eagerly listened.

"Gosh, I knew I should've just kept quiet!" the black-haired ice mage said with an irritated look on his face.

"What's wrong, Gray?" Mirajane asked as she smiled to the frowning guild mate of hers.

Gray gave out a heavy sigh and said, "It's just that... most of our fellow guild members are spreading rumors about me being in love with someone."

"Is that true?" Mirajane raised an eyebrow. There was a hint of curiosity in those deep blue eyes of hers.

"Well... yeah... sort of... kind of... well... uhhh..." Gray stammered as his face turned a bright red color, "All right. Fine! Yes. It's just that ever since I got to know her whenever we are taking missions, I just noticed that there was something special about her. I couldn't bring myself up to tell what I truly feel. She's kind of like... avoiding me lately."

"Well, if she is someone close to you then you can say what you truly feel. I hope she'll understand."

"I don't know. If I tell her that, then I might just ruin our friendship. I don't want that to happen."

"Who is this person you are in love with, anyway, if you don't mind me asking..."

"She's a very good friend of mine. If I tell you, you just might et shocked," Gray gave out a slight smirk.

"Well, okay then. I say, if she is hard to approach then it's all right if you don't tell her... for now. You can always say what you feel about that person to someone else you can trust. That way, you can open up to that person more."

Gray couldn't help but feel a slight pang of relief inside. It has always been the power of Mirajane's advices that helps her guild mates whenever they have a problem. He stood up and thanked Mirajane for her kindness towards the whole Fairy Tail family.

Lucy, on the other hand, could not help but blush. This was the third time now. Who is this person Gray is crazy in love with? She quietly made her way to the exit, hoping that no one noticed her. As she walked back to her home, she pondered over what she just heard. She is already flooded with curiosity. Her reaction this time was not as exaggerated as before. Instead, she felt calm and at the same time, she could feel her heart beating rapidly. Oh, the irony...

As she finally took a few steps closer to her home, the feeling she had inside her is different compared to the previous ones. She couldn't stop thinking about how honest and open Gray is about his feelings, at least to some people. Who could this person be?

As she entered her apartment, she looked around, hoping that none of her teammates sneaked in to her room. Fortunately, there was no sign of them. She felt calm and relieved. As time passed by, she let these overheard conversations consume her... or even let it get the best of her.


	4. Unexpected Meeting

**Title:** Fifth Time's The Charm (4/5: Unexpected Meeting)  
**Author:** Noble Voyager  
**Rating/Warnings:** T  
**Characters:** Gray Fullbuster, Lucy Heartfilia  
**Setting:** Sometime after Episode 50  
**Summary:** They say, "two time's the charm". But who says you can't have it five times?  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on the anime/manga created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Notes: **I apologize for the short delay. I thought I could be able to post this earlier, but something came up. Anyway, the last chapter is already complete. I'm just going to edit it if it's necessary. I'll probably post it any time soon. Thank you for your patience. :)

* * *

It was a dark and quiet night. Lucy has just gotten back from a very tiring and exhausting mission with her team. As she finds her way back home, she could feel herself shivering because of the cold sensation the atmosphere is giving. But it's not only that. It was so dark that she can barely even see where she was going. Suddenly, she heard a slight crescendo by the bushes. She shivered so hard, her legs are wobbling with fear, and as she looked back, it was just a familiar figure of a man whom she knows quite well.

"Gray..." the blonde-haired stellar mage muttered as she felt a feeling of relief, "what are you doing here?"

Gray, wearing rather thick clothes, came closer to Lucy. "I couldn't just leave you all alone here. I want to escort you to your home, if you don't mind."

"Oh, no. I don't mind. Of course you can escort me. I'm quite lost here, anyway," Lucy insisted.

The two of them smiled at each other and made their way. As they walked along, they did not give a single glance at each other. Silence filled the air to the point that only the beating of their hearts could be heard. Lucy is starting to feel really awkward. But as the wind blew to their direction, Lucy couldn't help her constant shivering.

Gray noticed the sensation Lucy is having, so he took off his jacket and placed it around her, "Here you go."

"No, Gray, it's..."

"I don't mind. You're feeling really cold there," Gray didn't bother interrupting Lucy's sentence.

Lucy just remained silent. She couldn't do anything about that. After several minutes, she was home, standing in front of the door. "Thanks a lot, Gray," she said as she brought him back his jacket. As she walks toward the door, she could feel something grabbing her right arm, as though it were stopping her from meeting the comfort and luxury her home has to offer. "What are you doing, Gray?"

"Lucy..." Gray said as he looked intensely at those amber eyes of Lucy.

"W-what is it?" Lucy could feel her heart beating rapidly and a slight blush formed on her cheeks.

"Before you enter your apartment. I've always wanted to tell you something," Gray said firmly as Lucy's heartbeat began to increase as ever. He pulled her closer so that they could see each other eye-to-eye and said, "You have been the most amazing thing that happened in my life. You have this something in you that makes you stand out from the other women I've met." He pulled her even closer. "You're beautiful, kind, and just plain unique."

"Gray... I..." Lucy was interrupted once again as Gray placed his finger on her lips, hushing her. He whispered something on her ear that made her felt the most gratifying electricity that no other circuit can ever make.

"I love you, Lucy."

...

"GAAAAHHHH!" the stellar mage shouted as she slapped out of that crazy little fantasy of hers. It was a bright afternoon and she was alone in her apartment. She spent too much time pondering over those overhead conversations that it made her fantasize about the possibility of her and Gray.

"What's wrong with you, Lucy?!" Stop thinking about crazy things like that!" Lucy shouted to herself. She was about to go mentally deranged. So, to cool herself down, she took out a notebook and began to write down her awkward thoughts. This was the same thing that happened to her and Natsu, but she never expected to feel something different... whatever that _something _is.

_I just had the weirdest and most awkward day today. Two days ago, I had this same feeling with Natsu and now, it's Gray. I kept on meeting him in the most awkward way. I've been fantasizing about him. What's worse is that he is in love with somebody, and that somebody might be me. I've been avoiding him and all that. I don't want this to happen! Don't me wrong, I love him as comrade, but this is not the way I want it to be._

After writing down her thoughts, Lucy stood up and noticed the exhibitionist sitting down on her couch nonchalantly. "Hey, Lucy!" Gray said.

"Gray! What are you doing here?!" Lucy shouted as she gave all her strength to beat him to a pulp. The blonde-haired stellar mage is really strong, after all. (That is, if you have the guts to mess with her, she'll get all out.)

Gray recovered fast and cleared his throat, "Lucy, I just want to tell you something." Lucy's eyes grew wider as she heard those words coming out of Gray's mouth.

Lucy stood away from him as possible, "W-what is it?" She could feel the tremor within her voice.

"I want you to meet me at the park tonight," Gray said firmly, "You'll know..." He could feel himself blushing. Without another word, he walked away as if nothing happened.

_He blushed. He wants me to meet him at the park tonight – just the two of us. Could it be a love confession? _Lucy thought as she felt her cheeks turning bright red. This was the fourth time Gray made Lucy blush. Her heart is starting to beat rapidly, as though she might experience a cardiac arrest any time soon.

She couldn't let this happen. They are very good friends, and she doesn't want to ruin that. There's only one thing that she can do. "Gate of the Crab, I open thee! Cancer!"

"What can I do for you, ebi?" Cancer said. A series of constant sparkling greeted her.

"I want you to give me a... errr... hairdo..." Lucy insisted even though she doesn't want to.

"Got a date?" Cancer asked in a cool and demure manner.

"Well... sort of..."

"Then I will make you look as pretty as possible."

"Whatever." Lucy just knows what to do during that meeting. This was just like that night when she thought Natsu was going to confess to her. Hopefully, Gray won't be telling Lucy about this if he asked her to dig out something or someone. But considering the fact that Gray looked totally serious, this meeting might take a different turn. She doesn't know whether it will take a turn for the worse or better, though.

_I have to turn him down._


	5. Confession

**Title:** Fifth Time's The Charm (5/5: Confession)  
**Author:** Noble Voyager  
**Rating/Warnings:** T  
**Characters:** Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss, Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster  
**Setting:** Sometime after Episode 50  
**Summary:** They say, "two time's the charm". But who says you can't have it five times?  
**Disclaimer:** This story is based on the anime/manga created and owned by Hiro Mashima. I do not own Fairy Tail. No copyright infringement is intended.  
**Notes: **Here it is. The last chapter is finally up. I never thought I could go back to this story. Just like what I said back in the author's note in chapter 1, this was just the same story as that of "Blush/Unsettling Realization" (that is, if you've read it already). However, I actually changed the ending because the first ending was... blehhh... I couldn't find the words to express how awful and rushed it was. It's better if you don't know the first ending. Anyway, I hope you like this story... the story that I made 3 years ago and just by looking back at it, I could just laugh at myself right now for having such a childish attitude back then. Blame my childish attitude for morphing this story into fruition. After this, I will probably go back to posting more serious stories, since that's what I am really good at, anyway. But then again, that doesn't mean I will stop writing romance. I would also appreciate it very much if you take the time to review and share your thoughts on the story. Be as brutally honest as you can. XD

* * *

"Hey, Mira! Have you seen Gray?" the scarlet-haired armor mage asked in curiosity as she sat down by the counter.

Mirajane shook her head. It is quite unusual for Gray to show no signs of his appearance, especially in a time like this. The sun is about to set and he hadn't shown himself since morning. "Why do you ask, Erza?"

Erza shrugged as if to say, "Nothing in particular." Mirajane handed her a strawberry cake – the cake that she loved so much to point that it makes her want even more. By the look in Erza's eyes, Mirajane could totally see that there is something up. A momentary silence filled the air.

"You know what, Erza," Mirajane finally broke the silence, "you can tell me."

"Tell you what?" Erza raised her eyebrow as she took a bite from her strawberry cake, savoring its luscious and delectable taste as the sharp tang explodes inside her mouth. She's distracted, no doubt about it.

"Why do you want to see Gray?" Mirajane asked with a serious look on her face. "You have been looking for him a lot lately."

Erza's eyes grew agape. She never expected to hear that from anybody. But it was true. She has wanted to see him lately. And so, she put down her plate and said, "I just want to know how he was doing." There has to be some reason why she wanted to see how he was doing.

Mirajane was sure that there is a reason behind that answer. Erza is not someone who would be that concerned for Gray. "I heard he's been hanging out with Lucy lately."

"Oh, I see. It looks like he took my advice, after all", Erza muttered and she could not believe that she said that.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing..." Erza placed her hands on her mouth, covering it so that hopefully, she would not blurt out something like that again.

Mirajane did not say anything for a moment. But she knew well that Erza is hiding something. "You know what, Erza? You were never really a good hider... or liar." She gave out a slight smirk.

"Okay, I admit. I'm not a good hider and liar," Erza said firmly. "But it wouldn't hurt if I tell someone else... right, Gray?" She muttered under her breath.

"Wow... I never knew that the Titania would be one of Gray's confidants. It's the first time I've heard about this, Erza. The first time you joined the guild, you were as mysterious as Mystogan, but because of Gray, you began to open up to others more. I can see how much he has done for you. You're trying to do the same, right?" Mirajane smiled.

Erza regained her breath as she felt calm by that radiant smile of Mirajane. "How did you come up with that kind of conclusion all of a sudden? But it's true, though. I'm trying to help him in some way after all he has done for me... even though he's such a pain in the neck sometimes. It looks like he's struggling with his love life lately." Erza gave out a slight giggle.

"Well, he's growing up. What can you expect?" Mirajane returned a smile.

...

Meanwhile, Lucy is walking in the streets, wearing once again the dress she wore when Natsu "asked her out". Her hair was tied up in a rather messy and beautiful bun with loose strands of hair dangling in front of her ears. She looked elegant overall. However, she does not even know why she was doing this. Probably, Gray just asked her if she would help him dig out something again. But for some reason, Gray is not someone like Natsu despite his reckless nature. As she walked along, she saw a figure of a man standing by the Cherry Blossom tree. That is one of her favorite sights. And as she stepped closer, she saw Gray, wearing thick clothes. How unlike him.

Gray finally stepped out from the darkness and showed himself. "It's about time you got here." He said firmly.

"Yeah, yeah... whatever... Do you have any shovel with you? 'Cause I won't even mind digging out something this dress." Lucy said with a joking yet serious look on her face. And with that, Gray just gave her back a chuckle.

"What?" Lucy furrowed her eyebrows.

"You're better than I thought you'd be, Lucy," Gray smiled.

"What does that suppose to mean?" Lucy is starting to look irritated. There was a momentary silence. Then Lucy finally broke this awkward moment and said, "Why did you invite me to come here and meet you, anyway?"

"I just want to take you for a walk and you know, get to know each other better." After that statement, Lucy's eyes grew agape. This was so unlike Gray. Why is he merely taking her out just to know her better? There is something up.

They finally made their way as they let the night pass by. They did not give each other a single glance. The silence even grew more awkward. It was dark and quiet night. The stirring of the wind left Lucy quivering. The cold sensation made her legs shake and her whole body to shiver. She knew she should have worn thicker clothes.

Gray noticed that sensation Lucy is having so he took off his jacket and placed it around her. "Here you go."

"No, Gray, it's..."

"I don't mind. You're feeling really cold there. Besides, I can even stand the cold, so it's okay." Gray said delightfully as he interrupted Lucy's last sentence.

"Then why did you even put on so many clothes in the first place?" Lucy smirked as she gave a playful punch on Gray's arm.

"You got a point there." Then the two of them laughed. They realized how fun it is being with each other. As they let the night pass by, they talked about each other: their interests, their favorites. As a matter of fact, they would even tease each other. They realized they have a lot in common.

After several minutes, Lucy finally reached her home. This night was different, she thought. It was a good thing that it didn't end up just like the night she had with Natsu. After talking to Gray, she realized that there was still something she has to tell him.

"This night was fun. Thanks a lot, Gray," Lucy said as she brought him back his jacket. But before she was able to enter her apartment, she heard Gray calling out her name. "What is it?" Lucy asked.

"I just wanted to tell you..." But before Gray could finish his sentence, the moonlight shone at that beautiful face of Lucy. He was distracted. She looked elegant.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Lucy asked as she felt her heartbeat rising.

"Err... nothing... it's just that... you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen," Gray said as he gazed at that elegant appearance of Lucy. The blonde-haired stellar mage could feel her face turning bright red. For some reason, this was something like that fantasy she had earlier in the afternoon. But this was different. She could feel fireworks inside. That was it. She felt it – the electricity that makes you fall for someone you'd never expect to fall for. There was once again a momentary silence. But Gray finally said, "You better go home, now. I don't want anyone else to see those gorgeous eyes of yours."

"Gray, wait!" Lucy shouted, feeling her face turn a brighter shade of red. "I... I... just want to ask... who is this person you are in love with. It's because I've been hearing rumors and you know... I'm curious..." Lucy stuttered.

Gray's eyes grew wider. He didn't expect that she would hear about it, too. But after he opened up to Lucy more, he felt that she is a trustworthy person. So, he came closer to Lucy and looked intensely at those beautiful amber eyes. "Lucy..."

By just hearing him say her name, Lucy could feel her heart beating rapidly, her whole body shivering and her face turning redder than ever. She was nervous. Then Gray said, "You have been a really good friend, Lucy. You were always there for your comrades no matter what. You never give up. And I just want you to know that I..." Gray stopped, as if he were trying to think of a lie that would deceive her into thinking that the rumor was just a fake all along.

"I have always thought that you look good in a spaghetti dress," Gray said as he finally felt a sheer amount of relief.

Lucy just stood there, dumbfounded, "T-that's all you have to say?" There was an unfathomable look in Lucy's face that even Gray couldn't fully decipher.

"Well, yeah... That rumor about me being in love with someone was just a hoax."

"Fine, then leave now!" Tears were slowly starting to well up in Lucy's eyes. She pushed Gray away from her. "I'll... see you tomorrow..." she said in a rather annoyed manner. And thus, she slowly entered her apartment, pondering over the five times Gray made Lucy blush. "The next time you ask out a girl, be sure it's the one you like..." Lucy muttered under her breath.

Before she could even open the door, something grabbed her right arm, as if it were stopping her from meeting the luxury and comfort her home has to offer. It felt cold, and as she looked back to see what it was, she noticed Gray's face moving closer to hers so as to meet each other eye-to-eye. Gray cupped her chin and slowly placed his lips upon hers. It was only then did she realize the truth behind Gray's futile attempt to hide what he truly felt.

After several minutes, the two finally broke apart and looked each other in the eye. Gray finally cleared his throat and the words finally came out of his mouth, "I love you, Lucy."

Was this just a dream? Was she fantasizing again without being aware of it? No. This seemed so real. She never thought that it would turn into reality. "You're kidding me, aren't you?" Lucy prompted inquisitively.

"Do you want me to kiss you again, so that you can tell whether it's real or not?" Gray smiled.

"I think I might just like that." And so, their lips met once again, and they didn't want to break apart.

Gray whispered in her ear, "Want to go out with me again?" Lucy placed her lips upon his again, indicating her approval.

_Who would've thought that there was such a statement as "two time's the charm" when you could have it five times?_

* * *

_February 2011: Noble Voyager (Edited and Revised on April 2013)_


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